New releases on the latest hip-hop chart from Amoeba Music Hollywood include the Slum Village reissue by Barak Records of Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 2.10(in a two CD set), and also the equally recommended producer DJ Green Lantern and rapper Styles P collaboration The Green Ghost Project which features cameos from Styles P's fellow D-Block cohorts Jadakiss, and Sheek Louch, as well as guest shots from M.O.P, N.O.R.E, Uncle Murda, and Junior Reid. Appearing on DJ Green Lantern's label, the renowned mix DJ, who initially built his rep as the main DJ for Eminem's Shady Records label, shares production credits here with the Alchemist, Scram Jones, and Statik Selektah, a great combination of two of the best. Also new but not recommended, unless you don't have a lot of Wu Tang in your collection already, is the Feb 16th release Mathematics PresentsReturn Of The Wu And Friends, which really offers little new to the true Wu fan, with re-released tracks and some slightly modified/remixed ones, as the website HipHopDX so accurately pointed out. The tracks "It’s What it Is” and “Iron God Chamber” both appeared on Masta Killa’s album Made In Brooklyn four years ago, while the songs “Strawberries & Cream” and “Rush” are scooped straight from DJ Mathematics’ very own 2005 album, The Problem. It is not that this is a bad album by any means, but rather it is slightly misleading in its presentation, which implies it is chock-a-block with fresh new material.

Meanwhile, Stones Throw Records, the label with the Midas touch, offers up great new material on this week's number one and two chart slots. The Madlib Medicine Show 1, Before The Verdict featuring Guilty Simpson is first in the twelve part (one per month) Madlib produced series, which is a sort of teaser to the upcoming Guilty Simpson album. The other Stones Throw release on this week's chart is Strong Arm Steady's Madlib produced In Search of Stoney Jackson. Another great recent release from Stones Throw that is not included here is the seven inch single "I should tell ya momma on you" by Red, aka The Man Without A Machine, whose haunting, gritty, soulful voice may sound like he has the assistance of a machine, like he is feeding it through AutoTune or a Vocoder or some mechanically altering device. But Red sings like that naturally by simply beating his chest and combining the hum of his throat as both bass kick and snare. Amazing!

And while Red's whole unique vocal style is totally engaging just by itself, the story of this record is equally intriguing. TyG of HVW8, who co produced the release with Stones Throw, captured some raw video footage a little over a year ago of a homeless man beatboxing behind his studio and posted it online. See the video clip below, which became an online sensation (now at over half a million hits) and led to TyG joining forces with the label to release the track (which sounds pretty much like the original in the video titled "Homeless G-Funk beat boxer behind the HVW8 Gallery" below). The sound is accurately described as "equal parts G-funk, California Soul and Hobo Street." The seven inch single, which features a Dam Funk remix on the second side, sold out pretty quickly at the San Francisco Amoeba Music when they first got it in stock a few months back and had to be reordered, according to Luis at the Haight Street store. I recently caught up with Stones Throw's Peanut Butter Wolf, who marveled at the artist's style and his old school Oakland rap roots. "Can you believe that he sings like that naturally with no effect on his voice!? Or that Red is a founding member of the APG Crew?" referring to the once extremely popular North Oakland rap crew APG (Action Packed Gangstas) who were voted most popular rap group in the Bay Area in 1989.

Red - "The Man Without A Machine"

Fans of mid nineties San Francisco rap should enjoy tonight's Fiendin' 4 Tha Funk party at theOctopus Lounge in Pacifica with performances from some of best of that era; UNLV, UDI, and of course 11/5, whose 1995 debut album Fiendin 4 Tha Funk on DogDay Records inspired the name for tonight's show. The party also features Bill Chaly, Barnone, plus others on the bill. 11/5's Fiendin' 4 Tha Funk album is a Bay Area rap classic with Tadatay, Hennessey, and Maine-O at their very best with sick beats by T.C. It includes such great songs as their blunt anthem "Garcia Vegas" (audio below), "11/5 On The Inside," and "Brousin." (video below)

Doors open at 10pm and it is free until 10:30pm. Then it is $10. 21+ For more info click here. And knowing how many people might be driving a distance from SF, East Bay, or San Jose, the organizers warn attendees to "drink responsibly. Get that designated decoy in place cuz you know Pacifica don't play."